Southern Braves win 2018 ALA U15 Boy's Regional Tournament

Friday October 12, 2018
by Lacrosse WA

2018 U15 Boys Southern Braves Team

Braves Captains - Thomas Moir, Ethan Moir and Josh Tatlow

In a match of three periods, the Southern Braves from Lacrosse WA have claimed their record 6th ALA U15 Boys & Girls Lacrosse National Tournament title, downing a gallant Southern Crosse in a thriller before a big crowd at Altona Lacrosse Club.

The Southern Braves came out fired up and ready to go as they looked to be the more composed side early putting several shots away in the early going to race out to a 4 - 0 lead at quarter time. The Crosse were struggling to get into the game and when Josh Tatlow scored his 2nd goal of the game to make it 5 - 0, it looked like a blowout was on the cards. However, a foul in the dying minutes of the first half gave the Crosse a sniff and Josh Rotstein capitalised to get the Crosse a much needed goal as the Braves went into the half leading 5 - 1.

Rotstein's strike appeared to do the trick as the slumbering Crosse awoke finally finding a way past Braves goalie, Harrison Parker to score four unanswered goals to tie the game at the last change. That continued into the last quarter as James Arnold bought up his hat-trick to give the Crosse the lead much to the delight of the very pro-Victorian crowd. However, the game was far from over and in one of the more dominant performances in recent memory, Ethan Moir stepped up to the plate to score 2 goals late in the quarter to restore the Braves lead. A late foul gave the Crosse a sniff though and it was Josh Rotstein who made it count burying a laser with seconds on the clock to send the game to sudden death.

The Crosse started the sudden death period a player up, and although both sides had their chances. Showing just how much these games can be a matter of inches, the Crosse's Brandon Tran had a shot to win the game, but his ripping shot hit the cross bar which put the Braves back into offence and it was Moir again who grazed the inside of the pipe to win the game for this Braves as the Braves claim the title.

Ethan Moir was outstanding for the Braves while Ayden Scott's late run down which set up the go ahead goal was a feature. For the Crosse, Arnold was sensational while Lucas Brown was massive in the second half keeping the Braves scoreless for over 30 minutes.